Just Another Random Blog

Prank Calling

2009-08-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

by: Luke Carter

Prank Calls can be a lot of fun, but not when you're sitting there waiting for a decent idea to spring up. It can get very boring.

As you can probably recall, these sort of pranks calls usually end up turning into very unconvincing stories, silly amounts of laughter and the phone being slammed down by the other person more or less straight away, which is no fun.

The most convincing and rewarding prank calls arise from keeping your "victim" on the phone for as long as possible, thereby making them believe that every word you are saying is true and generally making them looking like a bit of a buffoon.

Prank call masters know what it takes in order to pull the most outrageous pranks off. Read on to find out how you can too using our special formula.

Prank Call Examples

There are a lot of prank call videos on YouTube, but apart from being fun to watch, they won't help you generate your own prank ideas by themselves, and trying to replicate a prank call seen elsewhere will often sound false.

What you need is a formula...

A formula is very useful in this situation because it will allow you to plug in your own ideas under the different headings below and come up with something that will go down a treat. A good way to explain how the formula works is to refer to an actual prank call, which we will do below.

The Headings

Introduction - Introduce Yourself.

They say it's important to make a good first impression. Well the same goes for creating a good prank call.

You need to captivate your "victim" and make them curious. Saying something out of the blue or random during the first 5 seconds will usually sound the alarms and will either cause them to hang up or get angry and then hang up!

The conversation has to be very believable. Watch this video on YouTube to see what I mean (Come back though!) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDui3KQwG6c.

The pranksters start by introducing themselves with phony names to add credibility and start the conversation off.

Create a situation.

Make your "victim" curious and interested in what you are saying. Engage them in easy to understand conversation and listen to their reaction. This allows you to build a topic for the call and also explore their limits aswell. It's really an extension of the introduction.

Listen to how the pranksters start talking about the new local school that is about to open...

Ask some questions.

Asking simple and non private questions work well to get them talking. This is the key foundation work to build up credibility. Only ask questions after you've followed the above introductions, otherwise most people will get paranoid and hang up or act closed, which is not something you want to deal with during a prank call.

Remember the goal of the prank is to reel your "victim" in and then eventually humiliate them in some way. See how the pranksters in the video get the man talking with some simple questions and innocent conversation and smoothly make the transition to the actual windup thay have in store.

Making the transition.

A good way to bridge the gap between innocent conversation and your outrageous line-up is to bring in the element of confusion. If you watched the video you will have heard this transition start at about 2:26.

A soon as they react with surprise, it's time to increase the heat and pile on the humiliation.

Unleashing the prank.

Now that you've reached this stage of the prank call, it's time to have some fun.

You can now say outrageous things, ask strange questions and listen to the responses whilst the person still actually believes it's a genuine call.

There are many options available from here, but remember, the more convincing, the more you can get away with and the more fun you will have.

The best way to prepare for a prank call is to write the headlings down on a piece of paper and use bullet points to act as a quick reference if you get lost.

Quick & Easy Ways For Teens To Make Money

2009-08-10T02:57:00.000-07:00

by: Tisha Kulak Tolar

While many parents do not make their children pay rent or utilities, many do require that their teens bring in their kr_raking_leavesown spending money. Especially not with the economy the way it is, many parents can no longer fit their teen’s luxury purchases into their budget. After keeping up with the bills, there is hardly extra to pay for $200 sneakers or ever a $20 movie. So what’s a teen to do?

Well, making money for a teen may be even easier today than in the past because there are so many more entrepreneurial ideas out there now that industrious teens can even start projects to earn money and end up with a career. But even if your teen’s goal does not go much further than some extra money for burgers or candy, getting a teen started now learning about financial responsibility will be a lesson taken with them for a lifetime.

There are many ideas that can net a teen some cash. Here we’ll discuss some of the more common routes teens take and some more creative ideas for a teen to make some money.

Retail/Food Service

Many teens of working age (15 and up) find after school or weekend work at local fast food restaurants or in retail stores in the mall. Many such establishments will work with a teen on schedules and offer minimum wage.

Babysitter

With so many parents having to go back to work, there is a larger need for after school child care. Teens who are too young to work in retail can find work sitting with neighborhood children.

Handy Person

If you live in a community where there are elderly neighbors or single moms, a teen can find lots of odd jobs to do. Lawn care, painting, snow removal, and general repairs can be done by teens on a regular or as-needed basis. Go door to door or posts “work wanted” signs at the local grocery store.

Computer Lessons

For teens who are technologically advanced, they can earn some side money teaching others how to use computers and software. There are many adults who are not computer capable and would likely pay for lessons in basic knowledge of software and internet.

Paid Internships

Teens who have an idea of what they want to be “when they grow up” might be able to secure a paid internship in the industry they plan to pursue. This internship will not only earn them an income but it will also provide invaluable information and experience teens can carry with them after high school graduation. If you have friends or relatives in the industry of choice, ask for referrals on paid internship opportunities or speak with the school’s guidance counselor.

Monthly Car Wash

If your teen has a group of friends who are interested in earning some weekend cash, they can organize monthly car washes. If hosted each month, the community becomes more aware of the service and teens can likely get repeat and new customers each month.

Selling Skills

If a teen is artistically inclined, they can visit weekend farmer’s markets or other locations and provide charactures or drawings of customers. There are many skills a teen may have developed at a young age and can easily learn how to earn money using their skills. This can be their first lesson in freelancing towards a profitable future career.

Tutoring

If your teen excels at a specific subject, they can advertise their tutoring services around the community or throughout school. Tutoring often generates a decent hourly pay and if the teen is able to take on tutoring work for more than one student at a time, they can earn a nice income.

All teens will have different ideas about how they want to earn money and there are many opportunities available to them if they have the support and encouragement from their parents. Teens who learn money management lessons now will likely avoid debt hassles in the future.

Learn How to Play Drums Fast

2009-08-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

by: Martin V Algra

Set-up- When starting to learn to play drums it is essential to set up the kids drum set properly, to ensure that all the drums and cymbals are comfortably within reach and at the correct height to avoid over reaching. The snare drum should be positioned between the legs at about waist height when sitting. The high hat just to the left of the snare with the cymbals about 4” above the snare. The high tom tom(s) in front and slightly above the snare sloping towards you and the Floor tom tom on your right at the same height as the snare.

Tuning - Like any other instrument a kids drum kit needs to be tuned to give the best sound. Starting with the base drum, which should be tuned to low E by adjusting the tension of the lugs around the rim. Next is the floor tom tom followed by the high tom tom(s) so that the sound of each drum is slightly higher than the last. The snare drum has a sound all of its own, created by the coiled wires stretched across the bottom skin. Be careful not to over tighten the top skin as this will reduce the natural bounce of the stick.

Dampening - Most base drums and tom toms on a kids drum kit will produce a noticeable ring when struck, which can be very annoying and detract from the overall sound. I would recommend using felt strips stretched across and under the top skins (you will need to remove the top skins to do this). This will help to absorb the ring and give a satisfying thump when played.

Practice - When you learn to play drums, don’t try to run before you can walk, it will take time and a lot of practice to become proficient. Start slowly just getting used to the base peddle and high-hat. Play 4 beats to the bar with the base peddle and 2 beats on the high-hat, the 2 & 3rd beat. Then introduce the snare drum with your left hand (if right handed) on the same beat as the high-hat, this is called the off beat. The base drum is being played On the beat and the high-hat and snare on the Off beat. Now you can try to play 4 beats to the bar on the ride cymbal with your right hand to match the base drum. Congratulations you have now mastered the basic 4/4 rhythm.

Finally look for some inspiration, listen and watch some great technical drumming from great artists. My personal favourite is Buddy Rich, arguably one of the best jazz drummers of his time who unfortunately passed away in 1987. Check out the YouTube video clip of Buddy Rich playing his heart out and be inspired.